Vehicle steering apparatus

Abstract

A vehicle steering apparatus includes a steering member for rotational operation, and a support mechanism that supports the steering member so as to be movable between a housing position where the steering member is housed in a fixed frame of an instrument panel and a projection position where the steering member projects to an outside of the fixed frame. The steering member includes a main body supported by the support mechanism, a pair of grip sections which are movable between the housing position and the projection position together with the main body, and which are supported so as to be movable between a nonoperating position and an operating position by the main body, and a grip section drive actuator which is supported by the main body, and drives the pair of grip sections to the nonoperating position and the operating position.

1. A vehicle steering apparatus, comprising:
 a steering member for rotational operation; and 
 a support mechanism that supports the steering member so as to be movable between a housing position where the steering member is housed in a fixed frame of an instrument panel and a projection position where the steering member projects to an outside of the fixed frame, 
 wherein the steering member includes:
 a main body supported by the support mechanism; 
 a pair of grip sections which are movable between the housing position and the projection position together with the main body, and which are supported so as to be movable between a nonoperating position and an operating position by the main body; and 
 a grip section drive actuator which is supported by the main body, and drives the pair of grip sections to the nonoperating position and the operating position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The vehicle steering apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the steering member includes a pair of rotary arms rotatably supported by the main body, and the pair of grip sections are fixed to corresponding rotary arms; and
 wherein the grip section drive actuator includes a pair of rotary actuators disposed coaxially to centers of rotation of the respective rotary arms. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle steering apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the support mechanism includes:
 a link mechanism having first and second link arms whose first ends are rotatably supported by a base and a third link arm which has first and second ends rotatably linked to second ends of the first and second link arms respectively; and 
 a support frame which is fixed to the third link arm through a bracket and which rotatably supports the main body. 
 
     
     
       4. The vehicle steering apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a steering member forward/rearward movement actuator that drives the steering member between the housing position and the projection position through the support mechanism. 
 
     
     
       5. The vehicle steering apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a turning mechanism that turns driving wheels, 
 wherein the steering member is not mechanically linked to the turning mechanism.